Automatic sprinkler



(No Model.)v

J. OLAPP. AUTOMATIC SPRINKLEB..

No. 404,897. PatentedJune 11, 1889..

Www/ @M UNITED STATES PATENT I QEEICE.

JOSEPH OLAPP, OF EvANsTON,.AssIGI\IOR TO THE OLAPP AUTOnATIO FIRE EXTINGUISHER COMPANY, or OI-IIOAGO, ILLINOIS.

v.AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,897, dated J une V11, 1889.

Application Iiled September 4, 1888!. Serial No. 284,520. (No model.)

T a/ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH CLAPP, of Evanston, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Sprinklers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which ro Figure 1 is a side view ofsaid sprinkler in its normal condition. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, partly in vertical section, the parts of the supporting-post being shown as they appear in the act of separation. Fig. 3 is a I5 perspective view of the supporting=post represented in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a view of the same taken at right angles to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is'a transverse sectional view of said post. Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 are zo side views of modified forms of construction. Fig. 10 is a transversesectional view upon the line a: Fig. 7. Fig. 11 is a like view of a modification. Fig. 12 is alike view upon the line y y, Fig. 8. Fig. 13 is alike View upon the line ,e z, Fig. E); and Fig. 14 is a trans- 'verse' sectional View showing 'a modification thereof. l

Corresponding letters ofreference in the different figures indicate like parts.

3o My invention relates to automatic sprinklers for fire-extinguishing purposes; and the obj ect thereof is to provide a sprinkler which may be simple and cheap in its construction, extremely sensitive in its action, and yet one 3 5 which may be capable of withstanding a high air or water pressure and the shock incident to water-hammer.

To this end my invention consists in the construction and combination of "elemen ts 4o hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, d represents the usual discharge-pipe adapted to be connected in any well-known way with a distributing d system. The frame b of the sprinkler-head is preferably tapped upon the pipe in the man-v ner shown, for purposes of adjustment, as hereinafter stated, and normally secured in any given position by Ineans of a set-screw b',

5o Fig. 1. A deflector c is arranged upon said frame before the discharge-opening, which is l normally closed by means of a cap d, held in appearance, without varying materially from the essential features of my invention, which 6o embodies, broadly, the following require' ments-viz., thatone of its members shall r have a pivotal bearing upon the cap in the plane of its axis; that the body of said member shall extend upwardly in said plane and laterally therefrom to near the frame; that one end of a secondary member shall bear `against said frame and .the other upon a point'upon said primary member near to the cap and eccentric to the axis of the latter, and 7o thatthe contiguous surfaces of said members shall beunited by means of fusible solder, so that they. may have more or less of a sliding as distinguished from a breaking contact in the actof .separation at the ends which are iirst ,toV separate, or which tend to move in the arc of circle, as hereinafter specified.

I will ,first describe the preferable form of construction of said post, after which I will refer to the Inodiiications. 'I prefer `to make So said post entirely of sheet metal, thereby enL abling the parts to be formed in a die and to be stron g in construction, while the thin plates which may be obtained in this way are more sensitive to changes of temperature than vif made of a larger bulk of metal.

y Referring more particularly to Figs. 3, 4, and 45, F F represent sheet metal plates formed from brass, phosphor-bronze, or analogous material, preferably about three-quar- 9o ters of the entire length of the post, which are crimpedto form a tlange'f, in which the metal is doubled or bent upon itself, and

iianges ff, which are in the same plane with each other and at right 'angles to that of 95 the flange f. Two of said members F F are placed with the anges f f parallel to each other, and between them are interposed, by preference, two members G Gr, formed from iiat sheet-Inetal plates, which are of about the Inc same length as the parts F F, and the line of separation between which is in the plane of the flanges ff, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, Said members protrude from the lower ends of the members F, and are tapered, as shown at g, to a point in the plane of the flanges f. The contiguous faces of said members are attached to each other by means of fusible solder h, Fig. 5. Projections g g upon said members G are formed at points eccentric to the axis of said post and serve as bearings, respectively, for the lower ends of the members F F. Said members may be tapered at the top or leftof the full size, as desired.

My improved sectional post is interposed between the cap d and the frame, so that the points of the members G bear upon the axis of the cap. The pressure of the post upon the cap may be increased to any extent desired by turning the frame upon the screwthread above described, and securing the same in position by means of the set-screw b. Upon the fusing` of the soldered joints the members G, by reason of the eccentric bearing thereon, are thrown out in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 2. It will be observed that when this action takes place the separation is by a sliding contact of the members F, as distinguished from a direct and immediate separation. This feature affords greater resisting power to the post while in its normal condition, which is of vital importance in case of water-hammer or undue pressure. At the same time the joint is equally sensitive to the action of heat and will separate just as readily when under proper conditions.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a like construction to that in the former figures, except that but one member G is employed, and the bearingpoints g (but one of which is seen) are both upon the saine side of the axis.

Figs. 7, l0, and 11 represent a single member G tapered to a point, but having the lateral extension of its body wholly upon one side of the plane of its axis", while the members F are made to correspond. In them the flanges f are of single thickness only.

In Fig. Il a slight modification of this feature is suggested in making but one member F, and bending it so as to inelose two sides and the outer edge of the member G.

In Figs. 8 and 12 I have shown each of the members G made in the form of a split cylinder and tapered to a knife-edge to bear in the plane of the axis of the cap, while the members F are bent to conform to the outer surfaces thereof, to which they are soldered.

Figs. 9 and lshow the conditions reversed, the part F therein being a solid round post which is placed between the members G, which are tapered to meet at a common point, and Fig. It shows the part F to consist of a hollow tube. It is obvious that these constructions are the same in principle as that first described. The members G in separating have a sliding contact, but to a more limited extent than in the first-described construction, and one member has a positive bearin g upon the other eccentric to the plane of the axis of the post. I do not, therefore, confine myself to any specific form of construction except such as is limited to these features.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination, with the cap and frame of an automatic sprinkler, of a separable intervening post having a member tapered to pivotally bear upon the axis of the cap, the body of which member is extended laterally from said axis, a secondary member having one end resting against the frame and the other provided with a positive eccentric point of bearing upon said first member, the main body of one of said members being inelosed within the other and having their contiguous surfaces united by means of fusible solder, whereby upon the yielding of the solder from heat said surfaces may slide laterally upon each other in the arc of a circle the center of which is said eccentric point of bearing, substantially as shown and described.

2. In an automatic sprinkler, a sectional sheet-metal post for normally holding the cap in position, consisting of independent members of less length than the entire length of the post, the body of the members forming one section of said post having radial iian ges extending from the axis thereof, one of said members being partially inelosed within the other, fusible solder for` uniting the contiguous surfaces of said members, and positive pivotal points of bearing therein eccentric to said axis, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, with the cap and frame of an automatic fire-extiiiguisher, of a sectional cap-holding post consisting of two independent sheet-metal members tapered to a point at and having a bearing upon the axis of the cap, one or more members soldered thereto to form the remainder of the post, which rests against the frame, and bearings or rests upon said tapered members eccentric to the axis thereof, substantially as shown and described.

4. In an automatic sprinkler, a sectional sheet-metal post for normally holding the cap in position, consisting of two independent members of less length than the entire length of the post, pointed to meet and bear in common upon the axis of the cap, the bodies of which members extend laterally from said axis, one or more secondary members attached thereto with fusible solder and havin g eccentric points of bearing thereon, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 23d day of August, 1888.

JOSEPH CLAPI.

IVitnesses:

D. H. FLETCHER, J. B. HALPENNY.

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